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Xbox 360 CPU shrinks to 65nm

Daily Tech Reports: “A brave individual with the Gamertag â€œJWSpeedâ€ dissected his new Halo 3 Special Edition console to discover inside a new, simplified heatsink design. Upon further inspection and the removal of the heatsink, a new CPU branded with a â€œCANADAâ€ label rests on the motherboard.”

The new heatsink design does away with the heatpipe, indicating that the cooling requirements of the new chip are less intense than of the old design. For reference, the console examined to have the new hardware was built on August 24, 2007 from team â€œFDOUâ€ and lot number 734. Those interested in learning how to tell if an Xbox 360 console features the new chip without voiding the warranty should refer to a guide from the Xbox forums.

Strangely, the chip that makes the move to 65nm in â€œFalconâ€ affects only the CPU, rather than the trouble-causing GPU. Of course, making the CPU at 65nm is also a cost-cutting measure for Microsoft, as the chip will be smaller and 50 percent less expensive to manufacture. Without moving the GPU to 65nm, however, it is impossible to know if the new â€œFalconâ€ models are still at risk of the Red Ring of Death.